BRISBANE: Peter Senior outlasted Geoff Ogilvy in a sudden-death play-off to seal his third Australian PGA Championship title in dramatic style Monday, 21 years after his first win. Senior, 51, won with a par on the second extra hole at the Coolum course after last week’s Australian Open winner Ogilvy missed his two-metre par putt.
It was Senior’s 28th career title, his 20th on the Australasian PGA Tour and he is the oldest winner of Australia’s oldest professional title. “What a great way to finish the year off,” said Senior, who also won in 1989 (Riverside Oaks) and 2003 (Coolum).
“I hit my two best shots of the day both on the 18th hole,” he added, having made a three-metre birdie putt on his 72nd hole to force the play-off. Former US Open champion Ogilvy returned to the water-logged resort course early on Monday to complete his rain-delayed final round in six-under 66, seizing the clubhouse lead at 12-under 276. Ogilvy (70-69-71-66) then watched on as several rivals failed to force a play-off before Senior (70-67-68-71), the last player to finish, sunk his birdie putt to join him and continue the drama. “I was surprised 12 under held up,” said Ogilvy, whose missed playoff putt handed Senior the 270,000-dollars (266,000 US) winner’s cheque.
“It was a bonus to be in a playoff. I was more annoyed at missing that putt on the second playoff hole,” Ogilvy said. “You don’t like losing with a three putt.” Australians Nick O’Hern (70-70-68-69), Peter Fowler (66-70-70-71) and Andre Stolz (67-69-70-71) finished joint third on 11-under 277. Senior was listed at 126-1 by bookmakers to win the tournament after his opening round of 70. Despite his age, Senior is not the oldest winner of an Australasian tour title. That achievement belongs to Kel Nagle, who won the New Zealand Open at 55, and celebrates his 90th birthday next week.
